Compressed air water elevator



. Feb. M, M36. A. M. DA SILVA COMPRESSED AIR WATER ELEVATOR Filed Oct. 5, 1955 ANTOMO M ELLO DA SILVA INVENTOR ATTORN EVS Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 5, 1933, Serial No. 692,274 In Brazil October 10, 1932 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for intermittent raising of water, as well as of any other liquid, by means of compressed air, especially when a machine installation is required, which is to be set at a very great distance from the volume of liquid intended to be raised or delivered, as for instance in the raising of water from beneath the ground, when the water level is at a great depth and there is no possibility of installing machinery in underground boxes, as used in mines, wells, deep rivers with variable water level or in elevated ground, or the like, or as used in high buildings for raising water from a reservoir, usually installed under- 5 ground, to the difierent floors, no matter how high the water has to reach.

According to the invention, the apparatus consists of a combination of various apparatus, of which the principal feature is a valve to regulate 20 the distribution of compressed air, in an intermittent manner, so that either the compressed air enters into a chamber where the water is present and, by compression, raises the water to the point destined, or else discharges the air so compressed 25 into the said chamber, allowing then the renewal of the water head, by means of one or more retention valves, thus obtaining equivalent work from both valves, i. e. the compressed air valve and the water retention valves, which will result 30 in the intermittent filling and emptying of the water chamber.

The invention consists of an embodiment of an air compressor provided with a compressed air chamber, which has an outlet for the air com- 35 pressed therein, such compressed air being controlled by a regulating valve, which is operated by means of a cog wheel actuated by the same motor which also compressed the air into the chamber or container.

40 The regulating valve is of adequate construction to permit the compressed air to enterthe water chamber in an intermittent manner, and for such a purpose, is provided with grooves, one of which, in consequence of the rotative move- 5 ment that the cog-wheel imparts to the same, provides a passage at every half turn, (made for example every thirty seconds), for the compressed air into the water chamber in order to force the water out, and during the other half 50 turn, the compressed air will leave through the other groove, while the retention valve or valves let the water into the now empty chamber, thus resulting in the intermittent filling and emptying of the same.

55 The capacity of the water chamber should be exactly the same as the volume of liquid delivered, so as to obtain a perfect balance between the compressed air regulating valve and the water retention valves. The water chamber can be provided with as many retention valves as may be 5 necessary in order to have said chamber filled in a length of time equal to the time spent in having same emptied, i. e. in thirtyseconds.

Describing more particularly the invention and referring to the accompanying drawing, forming 10 part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus built according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same apparatus.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal view of the regulating and distributing valve.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line X-X of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line Y--Y of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an elevation and fragmentary View of the water chamber, disclosing the retention valves,

and

Figure '7 is a plan and fragmentary View of the same water chamber, showing the retention valve especially in a plan view.

The apparatus consists of a frame or support A, upon which is installed a motor B, which may work by electricity or by any other convenient power, to operate an air compressor C, which is provided with a reservoir D for the compressed air, which reservoir is connected by means of pipe I to the compressor and to a distribution and regulating valve, this valve having a rotating movement caused by a cog-wheel E which is also operated by motor B. Referring more in detail to the distributing and regulating valve V, it is readily seen to be composed of a conical tubular casing F and a plug G to fit same having a rotating movement therein. The casing F is provided with four channels a, a, b and b, in groups of two, each group forming a right angle, as shown in Figure 5, while the rotating plug has two grooves c and d, which are so disposed that when the rotating valve disposes the groove 0 in connection with the pipe 3, the compressed air coming through pipes 2 and 3, passes to a water chamber H and forces the water therefrom into a delivery pipe 5. Likewise, when the rotating valve V disposes the groove (2 in connection with pipe 6, when, of course the groove 0 is closed, the compressed air in the water chamber H is forced out by the new load of water entering the chamber through the retention valves I, and consequently returns through pipe 4, thus producing an intermittent efiect. Because groove is closed, the air exhausts to the atmosphere through pipe 6 and channel 1), providing a clear passage in view of the connection established between groove d and channel b. However, this operation is better understood by an examination of Figures 3, 4 and 5, especially Figure 4.

The adjustment of plug C inside of easing F, has to be tight and, in order to obtain this tight adjustment, the interior of casing F as well as plug G, are of a conical shape and a perfect contact between these two members is obtained by means of a helical spring J, placed at the smaller end of plug G and retained thereon in any suitable manner. The other end of plug G is of course of appropriate shape to receive the cogwheel E, while the retention valves I are of any convenient shape, one of which is shown in Figures 6 and '7 of the drawing.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus for the intermittent elevation of water and other liquids by means of compressed air, including a prime mover, an air compressor driven thereby and an air container for compressed air connected to said compressor, a water container adapted to be at least partly immersed in the water to be raised and having both a delivery pipe extending from the upper portion thereof for delivering water therefrom and an air pipe connected thereto for injecting compressed air irom said air container, there being one or more inlet valves in the lower portion of said water container for solely letting water into the same, and an exterior distributing and regulating valve both connected to said air pipe so as to control the same intermediate both of said containers, and having a grooved rotary valve member connected to and. driven by said prime mover simultaneously with said compressor in order to alternately open said air pipe from said air container to said water container and drive the water from the latter and then both close said air pipe from said air container to said exterior valve and simultaneously open said air pipe from said water container to said exterior valve through the latter in order to exhaust the air in said water container and allow the same to fill with water through said one or more inlet valves, which exterior distributing and regulating valve has a casing provided with four channels arranged in two groups of two, with the channels in each group disposed at practically a right angle to each other, while said channels cooperate with the grooves in the rotary member of said valve so that the first group of channels serves to pass compressed air into the water container from the air container and the other group serves to exhaust the compressed air from said water container.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exterior distributing and regulating valve has a spaced portion upon the rotary internal valve member thereof adapted to cut oil the admission or discharge ports for the compressed air, subsequent to the discharge of the liquid contained within said container for the purpose of driving out from within the discharge pipe the liquid which may have remained adhering to the internal surface thereof.

ANTONIO MELLO DA SILVA. 

